King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language Concludes Arabic Language Month in India

The month-long initiative, held in New Delhi and Kerala, featured a range of academic activities in collaboration with various educational institutions. SPA
The month-long initiative, held in New Delhi and Kerala, featured a range of academic activities in collaboration with various educational institutions. SPA
TT

King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language Concludes Arabic Language Month in India

The month-long initiative, held in New Delhi and Kerala, featured a range of academic activities in collaboration with various educational institutions. SPA
The month-long initiative, held in New Delhi and Kerala, featured a range of academic activities in collaboration with various educational institutions. SPA

The King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language (KSGAAL) wrapped up its Arabic Language Month program in India.

This month-long initiative, held in New Delhi and Kerala, featured a range of academic activities in collaboration with various educational institutions. The aim was to improve Arabic language teaching, enhance teacher skills, and boost the language's importance.

Secretary-General of KSGAAL Dr. Abdullah bin Saleh Al-Washmi expressed his gratitude to Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, the Minister of Culture and chairman of KSGAAL's board of trustees, for his unwavering support. This backing significantly helped the program meet its goals and align with the Human Capability Development Program under Saudi Vision 2030.

During the program, representatives met with universities like Jawaharlal Nehru University, the University of Kerala, and other academic institutions in India offering Arabic language programs. Discussions covered various topics such as testing methods, teacher evaluation, technology in teaching Arabic, program design, and teaching challenges.

The program included training courses for teachers and learners, focusing on modern teaching strategies and language skills development. It also featured a scientific symposium discussing Saudi Arabia's efforts in this field, curriculum challenges, and linguistic issues.

The Arabic Language Month program in India is one of KSGAAL's global educational initiatives for teaching Arabic. Similar programs have taken place in various countries like Brazil, Uzbekistan, Indonesia, and China, connecting Arabic language enthusiasts worldwide. The academy continues this program globally as part of its language and cultural efforts, fostering a sense of global community among Arabic language learners and educators.



China's LandSpace Hopes to Complete Rocket Recovery in Mid-2026

Zhuque-3 rocket by China’s private rocket firm LandSpace, takes off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China, December 3, 2025, in this screengrab taken from handout drone footage provided by LandSpace. LandSpace/Handout via REUTERS
Zhuque-3 rocket by China’s private rocket firm LandSpace, takes off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China, December 3, 2025, in this screengrab taken from handout drone footage provided by LandSpace. LandSpace/Handout via REUTERS
TT

China's LandSpace Hopes to Complete Rocket Recovery in Mid-2026

Zhuque-3 rocket by China’s private rocket firm LandSpace, takes off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China, December 3, 2025, in this screengrab taken from handout drone footage provided by LandSpace. LandSpace/Handout via REUTERS
Zhuque-3 rocket by China’s private rocket firm LandSpace, takes off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China, December 3, 2025, in this screengrab taken from handout drone footage provided by LandSpace. LandSpace/Handout via REUTERS

Chinese rocket developer LandSpace plans to successfully recover a reusable booster in mid-2026, a company executive said in an interview, underscoring the Beijing-based firm's ambition to become China's answer to SpaceX.

The ability to return, recover, and reuse a rocket's engine-packed first stage, or booster, after launch is crucial to reducing costs and making it easier for countries to send satellites into orbit, and to turn space exploration into a commercially viable business similar to civil aviation, Reuters reported.

Earlier this month, privately-owned LandSpace ‌became the first ‌Chinese entity to conduct a full reusable rocket ‌test, when ⁠Zhuque-3 ​blasted off ‌from a remote area in northwest China for its maiden flight, drawing comparisons to US aerospace giant SpaceX.

SECOND ATTEMPT PLANNED

While LandSpace failed to complete the crucial final step of landing and recovering the rocket's engine-packed booster, it hopes to clear this challenge in mid-2026 with a second test flight, Zhuque-3 deputy chief designer Dong Kai told Chinese podcast Tech Early Know in an interview published on Tuesday.

"If the second flight's recovery (stage) succeeds, we ⁠plan that on the fourth flight we will use a reused first stage to launch," Dong said.

So far, ‌the only company that has mastered reusable rocket technology is ‍SpaceX, founded by the world's richest ‍person Elon Musk. SpaceX's Falcon 9 launches around 150 times a year, or roughly ‍three times per week, with its booster reused dozens of times if necessary.

Musk said in October that LandSpace's Zhuque-3 design could allow it to beat the Falcon 9, but went on to state that the Chinese challenger's launch cadence would take more than five years to ​reach that of SpaceX's workhorse model, at which point the US firm would have transitioned to its heavier, new-generation model Starship and "doing over ⁠100 times the annual payload to orbit of Falcon".

INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING

LandSpace's Dong said that, while the company was already building an engine for a future Starship-like model, he was not optimistic that in five years Falcon 9's work rate could be surpassed, noting that all rocket models in China combined this year totalled only around 100 launches.

"It's very difficult for a single company to reach that kind of frequency. It requires the support of an entire ecosystem," Dong said, adding that LandSpace had 10 launches planned next year for all its models.

Other executives have previously said that the financial cost of a high-frequency testing and launch regimen was crucial to SpaceX's success, and that LandSpace's only ‌hope of amassing enough funds to sustain a similar programme would be by tapping China's capital markets, pointing to plans for an initial public offering next year.


Jazan Festival 2026 Kicks Off Thursday with Grand Parade

his year’s festival offers an unprecedented experience that brings together the charm of the region’s unique geographic diversity - SPA
his year’s festival offers an unprecedented experience that brings together the charm of the region’s unique geographic diversity - SPA
TT

Jazan Festival 2026 Kicks Off Thursday with Grand Parade

his year’s festival offers an unprecedented experience that brings together the charm of the region’s unique geographic diversity - SPA
his year’s festival offers an unprecedented experience that brings together the charm of the region’s unique geographic diversity - SPA

The Jazan Festival 2026 will launch on Thursday in a carnival anticipated by thousands of visitors from within the region and beyond.

The festival will open with a grand celebratory parade starting at 3:45 p.m. along the Jazan city waterfront, signaling the start of an entertainment and cultural season that will extend for several months, according to SPA.

This year’s festival offers an unprecedented experience that brings together the charm of the region’s unique geographic diversity, from its towering green mountains and golden beaches to its picturesque islands, alongside the authenticity of its rich heritage, complemented by modern touches in entertainment programs designed to meet the aspirations of all age groups.

Performing arts inspired by local folklore will add an authentic dimension, while moving installations will flow in harmonious rhythm.

Completing the visual spectacle, integrated light and sound shows will create an enchanting atmosphere before the festivities conclude with a dazzling fireworks display lighting up the Jazan sky in vibrant colors.


UNESCO Chair in Translating Cultures Hosts Lectures on Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage

The program was presented as an advanced knowledge initiative that combined theoretical perspectives with practical application - SPA
The program was presented as an advanced knowledge initiative that combined theoretical perspectives with practical application - SPA
TT

UNESCO Chair in Translating Cultures Hosts Lectures on Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage

The program was presented as an advanced knowledge initiative that combined theoretical perspectives with practical application - SPA
The program was presented as an advanced knowledge initiative that combined theoretical perspectives with practical application - SPA

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Chair in Translating Cultures at the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies (KFCRIS), with support from the Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission, organized a training course and a series of specialized lectures on the translation and safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage, SPA reported.

The program was presented as an advanced knowledge initiative that combined theoretical perspectives with practical application, opening space for in-depth discussion of the challenges of translating intangible heritage as a living, evolving form of culture closely tied to its cultural, social, and performative contexts.

The course and lectures adopted a comprehensive approach that views translation as a cultural tool for preserving oral memory and building bridges between local specificity and the global sphere.

This approach was reflected through applied models, field experiences, and contemporary conceptual frameworks.